


A Knight's Tale

by Python07



Series: If Looks Could Kill [33]
Category: Forever (TV), The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Papa Treville, Richelieu as Lucius, Richelieu is immortal, historical fiction - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 02:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11523021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Python07/pseuds/Python07
Summary: Treville tells the twins a bedtime story. This takes place after they've re-settled in New France.





	A Knight's Tale

The twins pulled Treville behind them into their darkened bedroom The only light came from the candles on the stand between their beds. They hopped in excitement. Their overgrown puppies circled them. 

“Please,” Louise pleaded.

“You promised us another story,” Etienne added.

Treville chuckled and shut the door. “All right. Into bed.” 

While the children and their dogs scrambled into their beds, Treville went to grab a chair from against the wall. He put it between their beds and straddled it. He rested with his arms against the chair’s back. “Where did we leave off last night?”

Louise curled around her big, black, and shaggy mutt, Atim. Thankfully she would never know the argument Treville and Aurelian had over him. She sank her fingers into his warm fur and rested her head on him instead of her pillow. “The great Queen’s navy was destroyed and her army deserted her.”

Etienne lay on his stomach, with his head at the foot of the bed. He propped his chin up in his hands. He bent his legs at the knees and kicked his feet. His black and white dog, Nîpîy, was pressed against his side. “And there was nothing left between the Queen’s capitol city and the invaders.”

Treville leaned forward and lowered his voice, “She couldn’t fight but her knight tried to convince her to run and return to fight another day”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleopatra smashed the glass a servant tried to pass her. “Out!” she shouted at them all. “Out!”

The courtiers and servants bowed and scurried out of the throne room. Lucius waited until they filed out before he tried to follow. He nodded to her and half turned.

“Not you, Lucius!” she cried.

He stood still and watched her pace. He was in his old, worn armor, armor that saw action in the East, Gaul, Italy, and Spain. He rested a hand on the hilt of his gladius.

Her make up and clothes were perfect, but there were heavy circles under her eyes. She’d lost weight. There was almost a hunted look about her. For the first time, she appeared small instead of filling the grand hall with just her presence. She stopped and took a deep breath. Her hands shook but she didn’t seem to notice. “I want the truth, Lucius. Can we stop Octavian?”

Lucius didn’t hesitate. He was calm and firm. “No. He’ll be here in a two weeks, maybe three.”

“Can’t we contest his landing?”

“With no army or navy?” 

Cleopatra started pacing again. “This can’t be the end, Lucius. Antony--”

He didn’t have to raise his voice to stop her. “Nineteen legions and twelve thousand cavalry have deserted Antony. They’ve pledged their allegiance to Octavian.” 

She hugged her arms across her chest and shivered. “Octavian is so cold, so calculating.”

Lucius shrugged. “He always has been.”

“He’s Caesar without the heart. He’s a snake,” she hissed. She stepped down to the floor before Lucius. She grabbed his hand. Her voice barely wavered. “He won’t let me abdicate and let Caesarion rule as a client king to Rome, will he?”

He squeezed her fingers. “No. As Caesar’s son, Caesarion is a threat. Octavian’s built his reputation and justifies all his actions as being Caesar’s heir.” He snorted quietly. “Divi Filius.”

“Why?” she demanded. She looked at Lucius with pleading, yet imperious, eyes. “Why did Caesar choose Octavian over his own son?”

Lucius didn’t flinch. He was patient to combat her agitation. “My Queen, we’ve discussed this many times. Do you really think you and your son would’ve survived long enough to leave Rome if Caesar chose Caesarion as his legal heir? Caesarion is Caesar’s blood but he’s not Roman.” He paused and managed a small smile. “Gaius fully expected Caesarion to become Pharaoh of Egypt one day. He was more than pleased with that. He was proud, believe me.”

She let herself sag against Lucius for a long moment. Her voice was muffled. “I do.”

He briefly let his hand rest on the back of her neck. “No matter what Octavian’s propaganda says, I’ve always seen Gaius in Caesarion.”

“Thank you,” she breathed. Then she slowly stood up straight. She let go of him and stepped back up onto the dais. “What do you suggest, old friend?”

He took a deep breath. He stood up straighter. “There are just enough men left to try and hold Alexandria long enough for you to escape.”

Cleopatra bared her teeth. “You expect me to retreat?”

“There is still time to meet your son in Berenice. You can escape to India together. Octavian can’t touch you there.”

She sat on her throne, upright and proud. “No, I will not abandon my people to Octavian’s wrath.”

“And if you stay here, Octavian will put you in chains and display you in his triumph back in Rome,” Lucius shot back.

“Lucius,” she snapped. Her face was flushed but her hands were no longer shaking. She spoke with the voice of Isis instead of the mortal woman Cleopatra. “I will not allow him to parade me in the streets of Rome like some prize animal, but I will not run from him either. If I do, I will never stop.”

Lucius bit his tongue. Instead, he bowed before her. “As you say.”

“There is one last thing you can do for me.”

He met her gaze. “What would you have me do?”

“Take Sextus and get out of here. We know what awaits me but I dare not think what Octavian will do to the two of you. I charge you two to guard Caesarion.” She smiled and it was the woman and not the goddess. “Go, my friend, and remember me.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Wait,” Louise interrupted. She bit her bottom lip mournfully. “The knight didn’t save the queen.”

Treville smiled kindly for her. “The knight did his duty. He did as he was commanded. In the end, that’s all he could do.”

“So the Queen couldn’t abandon her people,” Etienne said slowly. His brow furrowed in thought. “And she didn’t want to run because then she would never stop.”

“That and she knew the invader would never stop looking for her. She was too important. They couldn’t just forget about her, but don’t worry.” Treville’s smile turned devious. “She won’t be a prisoner for long.”

Etienne grinned suddenly. “She was brave.”

Treville stood and stretched. “Yes, she was.” He rubbed his hands together. “That’s enough for tonight. It’s time for you to sleep.”

“Do we have to?” they whined at the same time.

Treville went to put the chair in its place by the wall. “Yes, you have to,” he drawled. 

He went to tuck Louise in first. “Does the knight at least save the prince?” she whispered.

He pulled the covers over her and kissed her forehead. He scratched Atim behind the ears. “Yes. Now, go to sleep.”

Treville turned to Etienne. He ruffled Etienne’s hair. “Good night.”

Etienne yawned. “When are we going to get to what happened to the stupid general who left his fleet to be destroyed?”

“Later. Go to sleep.”

Etienne closed his eyes and offered a lazy smile. “Night.”

Treville snuffed the candles. He quietly left the room. He went to the kitchen for a bottle of wine and two cups. Then he joined Richelieu on the front porch. He stopped for a moment to admire the woods surrounding their small house and the clear night sky full of stars.

He sat on the swing next to Richelieu and handed him one of the cups. “Where’s what’s his name?”

Richelieu leaned against Treville and let Treville fill his cup. “Kisecawchuck had to head back to his village.”

Treville filled his own and then put the bottle on the floor at their feet. “You and Sextus must be the only white men around here interested in learning to speak Cree.”

Richelieu rolled his eyes. “Not everyone can be expected to speak French, Jean.” He sipped his wine. “So, what story did you tell them tonight?”

Treville’s only answer was putting an arm around Richelieu and burying his face in Richelieu’s neck.

**Author's Note:**

> I know I said I wasn't going to do anything in New France. My muses just had to prove me wrong.


End file.
